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RussianiZoofari Chat: Koala Estrus Behavior Study
Posted at 8:39 am August 30, 2007 by Dennis Corbran
How do you know when a female koala is ready to breed? It’s not such an easy task. CRES Neeper Summer Student Fellow Maressa Takahashi and San Diego Zoo koala keeper Amy Alfrey are involved in a study of female koala behavior that should help keepers decide when the time is right. Read a blog about Maressa’s study. (11:35)
NEW! iZoofari Chats are a series of interviews that put you in touch with the people who work for the Zoo and Wild Animal Park. Current subscribers to either the Zoo or Wild Animal Park podcast feeds will also get the iZoofari Chats.
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August 31st, 2007 at 3:19 pm
I just want to say i went to visit my aunt who is 81 last year in san diego and i went to your zoo it was the best vacation i have ever had i finally got to see my favorite marsupeal the koala bear it was always my dream to go to australia and hold one but being at the zoo and seeing them close up and sleeping as usual it was just great and if i get the chance i will be back so keep up the good work. regards lorraine adebahr
February 3rd, 2008 at 5:21 pm
I’m doing a report on Koalas in Fourth Grade and I enjoyed your information on movements and breeding. I heard the sound byte on the koala page and I was wondering if you knew when they make that sound? Thank for all the great information i really enjoy this site. please e-mail me if possible i would like to add it to my report.
February 6th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Hi Marissa,
In response to your question, the koala bellow is an important tool for koala communication. The males bellow regularly to let other males know of their territorial boundaries and also to try and establish dominance. They also bellow when they want to attract females. The males also have a scent gland on their chests that they rub all over trees to add to this communication. The female does not tend to bellow as often and mostly only bellows when she wants to attract a mate which is only at certain times of the year and when she does not already have a joey. Here at the San Diego Zoo, we have 17 males and they often bellow back and forth to each other on a daily basis. It can get quite loud in here at certain times of the day.
I hope this helps. Good luck on your report! I’m really glad you like the site.
April 27th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Hi. I’m from México, and I just want to say that I love koalas since I met them at your zoo when I was little, and I return to your zoo few years ago..
Just like lorraine, my dream is to hold a koala, I hope maybe one day I can have the chance to return to your zoo and you can do something so we can have chance to hold a few minutes the koalas.
If not, I hope some day I can go to Australia just to hold one.
I love your zoo a lot. Thanks for all the information that you have in the web, it’s really nice to enter to your website and read so much information.